1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data networking. More specifically, the present invention relates to a dedicated digital-to-analog network audio bridging system.
2. Background Information
Rendering audio and even music on a personal computer (PC) is known in the art. In the past, computers contained a single internal speaker which was used to notify users of various system alerts through one or more audible beeps or tones. Early computer games would string together multiple beeps and tones in an attempt to simulate music through such a primitive speaker. As PC technology advanced, expansion cards dedicated to producing more robust audio sound effects and music within PCs became commonplace. Nowadays, audio expansion cards, or “sound cards” as they are known, are quite sophisticated and may even include various dedicated electronic components such as memory and audio processors to generate high-quality audio within a PC.
Most PC sound cards typically contain output ports through which audio from a PC may be directed by way of cables to one or more external pairs of speakers. Due to a variety of factors, external speakers are typically better equipped to produce high-quality sound than are standard issue internal PC speakers and are therefore more often desired as a source of audio output for PCs. In addition to external speakers, the PC audio may also be connected to high-quality external amplification and or digital signal processing components to produce a variety of desired effects. In fact, with the popularity of computer-based compact disc (CD) and digital video/versatile disc (DVD) players, as well as the popularity of realistic computer games and the ability to play digital music data files on PCs, the impetus for users to connect their PCs to home stereo systems is greater than ever.
Unfortunately, however, it is all together too common for a PC to be located in one area of a house (e.g. home office), and a stereo and/or high quality speaker system to be located in a second area of the house (e.g. family room) remote from the first area. Given such a configuration, a user typically has very few options regarding how to route the computer audio output through the home stereo.
Firstly, a user may opt to move the PC into the family room where the stereo/speaker system is located, or conversely, the user may opt to move the stereo/speaker system from the family room into the home office where the PC is located. This, however, may prove to be impractical given the designated uses of the two rooms. For example, the stereo/speaker system may have been part of a combined audio/visual entertainment system located in the family room. Similarly, the PC may have been used as a business computer serving multiple functions including for example, that of facsimile machine connected to a dedicated phone line located in the office.
Secondly, a user may resort to connecting very long cables between the PC and the stereo/speaker system. Not only might such a connection scheme be awkward and unsightly, the audio quality may suffer due to attenuation of the analog audio signal caused by the length of the cables.
Lastly, a user may obtain a second PC for use near the stereo system within the family room. Not only is this an expensive proposition, it still does not solve the problem audio from the office PC being played through the stereo/speaker system.